e-Cabo Verde, often known for its stunning beaches and holiday resorts, is setting its sights on becoming a major player in the tech scene of Western Africa. Since 2019, the government has been rolling out a new digital plan with the aim of positioning the country as a significant tech hub, rivalling heavyweights like Nigeria and Ghana.
This strategic shift (towards embracing digital technologies) has yielded substantial progress… with Cabo Verde making significant progress in enhancing internal efficiency, streamlining government procedures, and elevating public services.
This is especially crucial given the geographical dispersion of the population across the islands. Basically, they’re using technology to bridge the gaps and bring services closer to everyone, no matter where they are.
Of course, by positioning itself as a contender alongside tech giants like Nigeria and Ghana, Cabo Verde aims to attract investment, talent, and partnerships to fuel its digital transformation journey.
Where does e-Cabo Verde stand globally?
According to the latest (available) UN e-government survey, e-Cabo Verde has secured the 110th spot out of 193 countries assessed. Now, what’s interesting is that despite being a small island nation, it’s punching above its weight in terms of e-governance, ranking way above the regional average for Africa. That’s quite an achievement.
Looking at the categories, e-Cabo Verde falls into the High Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII) + High Human Capital Index (HCI) group. This means that the country is doing well in terms of leveraging technology and having skilled human resources to drive digital initiatives.
However, it’s in the middle group when it comes to Online Service Index (OSI), indicating there’s still some room for improvement in terms of online service availability and accessibility.
Now…despite its high ranking in e-government development, e-Cabo Verde still has some areas to work on. For instance, e-participation could use a boost. While it’s commendable that e-Cabo Verde was the 8th country in Africa with the highest e-Government Development Index (EGDI) value in 2022, there’s still more to be done to engage citizens effectively through digital channels.
Also, challenges persist, particularly in addressing connectivity constraints stemming from limited cable capacity and bandwidth restrictions.
Internet connectivity in e-Cabo Verde
Amidst the azure waters and picturesque landscapes, e-Cabo Verde finds itself at a digital crossroads…strategically positioned between Europe, Africa, and America.
The presence of the Ella Link cable, a vital undersea fibre-optic link, symbolises the country’s connectivity to global digital networks, offering immense potential for economic growth and development.
According to data from Datareportal, e-Cabo Verde boasts a significant number of internet users, with 433.7 thousand individuals accessing the internet at the start of 2024. However, despite this commendable figure, internet penetration stands at 72.1%, indicating that a sizable portion of the population remains unconnected.
Indeed, while there has been improvement in internet adoption, the fact that 167.8 thousand people in e-Cabo Verde did not utilise the internet at the beginning of 2024 underscores the persistent digital divide within the country.
In light of these challenges, the support extended by the European Union (EU) takes on paramount importance. Aligned with e-Cabo Verde’s long-term development goals outlined in ‘Cabo Verde – Ambition 2030’ and the EU’s ‘Global Gateway Strategy,’ this assistance aims to catalyse the country’s transformation (among other things) towards digitalisation.
By providing resources, expertise, and strategic guidance, the EU can empower e-Cabo Verde to leverage technology as a driver of socioeconomic progress.
What I’d like to add is that with continued investment in infrastructure, policies, and partnerships like those with the EU, e-Cabo Verde has the opportunity to unlock the full potential of digitalisations for its people and economy. It’s all about building bridges—both physical and digital.
Final remarks
To fully capitalise on all digital opportunities, e-Cabo Verde must prioritise the establishment of a conducive regulatory environment.
By enacting policies that promote innovation, safeguard data privacy and foster competition, the country can create a fertile ground for digital transformation to flourish.
In light of this, there are some exciting opportunities on the horizon, particularly in e-government services and digital (private or public) services. With the right regulatory framework in place, e-Cabo Verde could really take off in these areas.
By investing in initiatives that enhance internet accessibility and digital literacy, the government can empower citizens to fully participate in the digital economy of today and tomorrow.
Sources:
https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/32-Cabo-Verde
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/cabo-verde_en
https://education-profiles.org/sub-saharan-africa/cabo-verde/~technology
